


Goodbye To Yesterday

by YumenHaze



Category: Persona 3, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Haze doesn't like it that the P3 protag dies, Hurt/Comfort, I also like Phantom Thief Minato okay, M/M, Persona 3 - Freeform, Persona 3 Protagonist Lives, Persona 3 Spoilers, hear me out, kind of, mild I guess, persona 5 - Freeform, shuake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27731800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumenHaze/pseuds/YumenHaze
Summary: With the collapse of every palace, hope for the changing of corrupt hearts increases to all who hear the Phantom Thieve's name. The desire for demise begins to decrease, weakening the despair in hearts and their link to Nyx. With this and the work of S.E.E.S, Nyx has been locked away with an additional seal. With every stolen heart and a stronger belief in the Phantom Thieves, the original seal begins to crack, leaving nothing freed but fragments of the saviours' soul. When the seal dissolves and the soul is set free, where will it find itself? What will it remember?
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurusu Akira/Minato Arisato
Comments: 19
Kudos: 68





	1. Your Fate Is Most Unpredictable

With the days counting down to the collapse of the next palace, exploring Mementos was a routine occurrence with the Phantom Thieves, each exploration deeper than the last. The repetitive drives along dingy railway roads between tall bricked walls weren't the most pleasant sight, undertones of chartreuse light shifting to burgundy staining the walls as the group delved deeper into the complex system. Only as the van progressed, the path darkened, something fairly normal, only the air fell still. An unnerving feeling sunk inside of the van. Morgana began to slow down.

“Should we keep going?”

As the leader, it was up to Akira whether or not they continue. The lack of vision is a disadvantage, especially with the possibility of the reaper being near, but something in the gentleman thief’s heart was telling him to reach to the end. As much as he wanted to use his third eye, this wasn’t an option. Even if it meant he was going in blind, Akira wanted to keep going. Every inch of his mind was telling him to do so.

"We haven't explored this part yet, have we, Joker?" Leaning through the gap between the two front seats, Ann attempted to gauge where they were. 

Makoto added, "This isn't like anything we've seen before! Wait, is this a dead end?" 

"No, the floor has changed, are we still in Mementos?" A clear observation from Ryuji, although a pointless question in theory.

"Of course we are, we can't just leave" Ann retorted.

"I think we're coming to the end!" 

Akira’s words broke everyone from their bickering as a wall began to come into view. The wall wasn’t out of the ordinary for Mementos, they had encountered plenty of dead ends, however none from a tunnel this long. By now, the group had expected to encounter another platform or at least an enemy, however, there wasn’t a shadow to be seen.

“I have a bad feeling about this....”

Makoto’s intuition was usually right, even more so when taking the eiree nature of the circumstance into consideration; the thieves were entirely off track. The train tracks had long disappeared, the remnants of a brick path behind. Cracks and black vines of sort laced the walls, the tunnel the thieves found themselves in looking as though it was about to crack. From the front wall, broken chains hung from the upper walls, the ceiling too dark to find the source of the chains. Stagnant cold air swept between the thieves as they stood in silence, attempting to make sense of the sight before them. Despite the stillness in the air, the chains swung from the void of the ceiling, the rattling of metal filling the silence in the air.

“We don’t know enough about Mementos to tell what this is…” 

Morgana’s tone seemed somewhat weary, cautious yet sighing, perhaps at his lack of memory towards the situation. Morgana was very familiar with the workings of places, however, Mementos was a mystery to all. With the only information they had being what they had found themselves, the thieves had very few explanations for the sight before them. 

“It’s giving me the creeps” Ann’s addition lightened up the cat’s demeanour. 

The least he could do was reassure her; the image of Ann’s grateful praise filled Morgana’s mind, immediately straying his thoughts away from the matter at hand. Ryuji’s words quickly dispelled his fantasy in his mind, however.

“Well whatever was here has to be really old. I don’t think it’s here anymore” Ryuji shrugged, touching a piece of the remnants of the stone figure, crumbling in his hand.

“It… Looks oddly... human.” Yusuke's observation drew everyone’s attention to the wall in a second. “It looks as though a mural of a man formerly stood here. Look, a foot and a leg! But what could a structure of art be-”

“Quiet” One word from Akira was enough to quieten the team, each frozen in place at his sudden interruption. Although very distant, light staggered footsteps could be heard. 

“There’s our answer. The bus would be too loud. It doesn’t sound too distant, we can make it by foot but be on guard” Nodding at Akira’s orders, the thieves readied their approach. 

The thieves were almost over-prepared for what they were about to encounter. The five weren’t even midway through the route to the strange mural on the wall when they found the source of the footsteps. It was underwhelming. Slowly stumbling their way along the tunnel was a frail looking figure, heavily leaning against the wall for support with every step they took.

“Stop!” Akira called out, an immediate reaction from the figure followed, showing no signs of running. A shadow? No, Akira had never seen a shadow like this let alone an obedient one. His mind drew a blank for any explanation, but he knew he was drawn to this for a reason, he could feel it. They swiftly caught up to the figure, its back turned to them. 

“Dude, it’s wide open, let’s attack it and go!” The uncertainty of the situation was beginning to get to Ryuji, making him eager to attack and leave whatever they had just encountered behind them but that was something Akira simply wouldn’t allow. 

“Do you know anything about the mural at the end of this tunnel?” Yusuke attempted to ask, the figure responding with silence.

“Do you think they’re from a request? Maybe they have appeared because we need to change their heart.” was a suggestion from Makoto. Akira shook his head, reiterating once again, they were not dangerous and instead, decided to approach the figure. 

The thieves tensed up as Akira drew nearer to the figure, it looked as though they did too as he approached them. Upon closer inspection, the figure appeared to be very frail, what looked to be wearing a very torn uniform. They showed no signs of recognisable features or clothing, piquing Akira’s curiosity further. Cautiously, he extended his hand towards the figure, turning them towards the thieves. Ann audibly gasped at the sight: the figure in fact a human, around the same age as them, barely standing, clothes tattered and dishevelled blue hair. She immediately felt sympathy for the now identifiable person for showing such hostility previously.

“He’s harmless, he’s not supposed to be here” Akira called out the group, already making their way towards him. He turned back towards the stranger giving him a slight nudge.

“Who are you..?”  
He received no response to his question, the figure hanging his head and closing his eyes as though it pained him to remember. Realising this, Akira quickly dispelled it.

“Nevermind, that’s not important. Let’s get you out of here.”  
The stranger gave him what looked like a nod before turning to the group now crowding him. 

“Yeah, let’s get out of here, this place is creepy as hell!” Ryuji nudged Morgana who seemed reluctant to follow Ryuji's orders, but nodded to Akira. 

“Right!” 

“I’ll drive, Ann, look after- I don’t know his name yet but, keep watch on him for me” The leader ordered, Ann nodded. The two helped the stranger into the now transformed Morgana-bus before getting comfortable and turning back from the tunnel. 

“Man, I’m starving! Let’s grab something to eat once we get out of here” 

“Our wanderer looks like he could do with something to eat as well.”  
Yusuke and Ryuji conversed, suggesting restaurants as Ann and Makoto kept watch of the stranger. 

“Let’s ask him some easy questions for now” Makoto whispered to Ann. The two decided that although he seemed harmless, as Akira had previously said, they weren’t entirely convinced. So many were after the Phantom Thieves, especially with a growing awareness for them. Their popularity was increasing as was the danger of their missions. They had to be as cautious as possible, as much as they wanted to trust their leader.

“What’s your name?” Ann asked first, receiving no response. 

“Do you know where you are?” To this, the stranger shook his head. “So you’re lost… When did you get lost?” Makoto continued to ask. 

There was a long pause in the stranger’s movement before he closed his eyes tightly as though it pained him to remember. 

“Don’t force yourself if you don’t remember!” Ann quickly reassured. She turned to Makoto once more.

“I don’t think he’s a threat.” The two agreed before returning to their questions, much tamer compared to the interrogation type questions previously asked. The guilt of assuming the helpless stranger was a threat began to sink into Makoto. Interrogation was a strong point of hers, but she always assumed the worst. The wanderer seemed genuinely innocent and very hurt to add to her feelings. It was the Phantom Thieves’s goal to help people, not put them at risk. Changing her tune, Makoto decided on a different approach.

“Are you hungry?” She asked; a simple question was best to get an interaction. The stranger’s eyes remained shut from his previous response. Despite this, he nodded as eagerly as he could in his weakened condition. 

“You are quite pale…” Ann drew her hand to touch his. Upon inspecting it, she had noticed just how pale the stranger was, even more so, how cold it was; he looked as though he had come back from the dead. Suddenly startled, she drew her hand back, stifling her reaction.

“You’re so cold! Joker, do we have anything to warm him up?”

“We have a blanket somewhere. Skull, is it near you?” 

“Got it right here!” 

Ryuji passed the blanket forward to Ann who promptly placed it over the stranger who now seemed at ease with the sudden warmth. 

“Is that better?” To Makoto’s question, the stranger nodded, snuggling further into the blanket. The girls sighed, somewhat in relief, before realising the stranger could now be unconscious. They couldn’t exactly blame him since more than anything, he looked like he could use some sleep but they had to be sure he was still alive at least. 

“Are you still awake!?” Ann shook him slightly for him to meekly nod his head. “Good. Please try to stay awake, we’re almost there.”

Makoto and Ann continued to ask the stranger shorter questions in an attempt to keep him awake and see what they could find out about him. They soon reached the entrance of Mementos, where the thieves stepped out of the van, Morana returning to his thief form. 

“How are we going to get him out safely?” he asked, gesturing to the now bundled blue-haired teen, leaning between the two girls. 

“Can you walk?” Akira asked, receiving a small nod. “Ann and Makoto can help him, there’s a ramen restaurant that Ryuji and I go to nearby the station, we can go there.”  
The group nodded before setting out to leave Mementos.

As the seven left the cognitive realm, the light of the evening sun filtering through the buildings greeted them. They had entered Mementos in the afternoon, only then realising just how long they had spent searching through tunnels, not to mention navigating their way back out. The streets flooded with people of all ages navigating through their own busy lives, all around them unbeknownst that they had just passed the Phantom Thieves, hiding in plain sight. Although it was a convenient disguise and alibi, cutting through the traffic of people would be difficult, especially given the time and the direction of people flooding towards the station. They had to be quick. Luckily, Akira knew many shortcuts, efficiently cutting the crowds and using back end alley routes that were much emptier. Although the walk was slightly longer, it was worth the lack of people.

“Seven orders of the regular please, that will be all.”

Whilst Akira placed their orders, the others were left with their opinions on the newcomer, however, he knew as much about himself as the thieves did. The warmth of the restaurant and something to drink at last almost revitalised the stranger, looking much more alive.

“You really needed that, huh” Ryuji commented. 

Yusuke understood the stranger, however, grateful for anything that he received after stealing Madarame’s heart. Akira often brought him any spare food made at Le Blanc due to the artist’s circumstances. Perhaps the newcomer was the same. Yusuke pondered over just who exactly could this newcomer be, subtle excitement building up in his mind as the possibilities raced through. He decided to wait until they collectively had more answers from the stranger, then he would express his queries and interest. The group was soon served with seven servings of ramen, each having a steaming bowl set before them. A poorly disguised watch was kept on the stranger as he ate, slowly at first, yet his hunger was evident to the group around him. 

“You can eat it, it’s for you” Akira insisted, receiving a much more apparent nod than his previous ones from the stranger. They all conversed casually as the stranger quietly ate, seeming much more alive. He exchanged several glances with Akira before the thief gauged he was trying to get his attention. Once his eyes were in him, the stranger spoke.

“....Thank you…“ Although it was a mumble, it was a better start. Akira nodded, smiling. 

The bunch had finished eating, all fulfilled after searching in Mementos for so long. Even the stranger hadn’t left a single bite remaining

“Is that an MP3 player!? I haven’t seen one like that since like 2008!” Ryuji exclaimed, suddenly noticing the accessory of the stranger. Despite his torn clothing, it was the only item he held that was intact, in pristine condition almost.

“Haven’t you got anything newer? Or is retro your style?” Ann joined. 

The stranger pondered for a moment before holding the MP3 player in his hands, gazing at it in deep contemplation. 

“…Don’t know…” He mumbled, his eyes locked onto the accessory as though it had some importance.

“You don’t know!? Surely you have something?” Ann replied.

“Maybe he doesn’t remember, rather.” Makoto suggested, the stranger nodded.

“Amnesia, huh. You’re just like Morgana.” Ryuji added.

“....Mor...gana...?”

“Oh! We haven’t introduced ourselves yet. My name is Makoto Nijima, it’s nice to meet you.”  
The bunch introduced themselves until it circled back to the stranger.

“Do you not remember?” Morgana asked. The stranger stopped.

“...M…”

“M? Like the letter?” Ryuji asked before being cut off by Ann.

“You remember that your name begins with M?” she asked, the stranger nodded. 

“Then I suppose that’s what we’ll call you until you remember more. It’s nice to meet you, M” Akira smiled, speaking up after pondering over his thoughts.

“Since you don’t remember anything, I’m guessing that you don’t have a place to stay.”  
M shook his head.

“Boss is out for tonight so Le Blanc is closed, it’s just me, He won’t be back until tomorrow so you can stay with me.” the leader suggested. The others gave him an odd look.

“Dude, you live in an attic, where’s M supposed to sleep?” Ryuji laughed.

“Yeah, on the counter or something?” Morgana added.

“Or would you be so kind to sleep on the coffee beans instead?” 

Yusuke joined in, the group joking lightheartedly. They knew their leader would come up with something but it seemed almost comical that the only one who didn’t sleep in an actual house was offering a room. 

“You say that as though I haven’t slept on coffee beans before” Akira retorted lightheartedly. “Have you seen how much of the bed Morgana can take up when he wants to?” 

“It’s not my fault you don’t go to bed when I tell you to!”

“I bought you a pillow to have for yourself!”

“That you put on your bed” Morgana nonchalantly licked himself, it was very obvious Akira was losing this argument.

“I guess there’ll be no more fatty tuna for you-”

“Fine....” Akira always knew how to win Morgana over.

Seeing the banter between the six was strange to M. It was all so familiar yet so distant as though he had befriended everyone before but not quite them. He enjoyed the company they provided yet he still felt somewhat out of place, as though he didn’t belong. They were red and he was, well, blue. It was a strange feeling as, although he was welcomed and included, something wasn’t right. As he walked home with Akira, he pondered over these feelings, unsure of what to do with them. The two soon reached La Blanc.

“I’ll sleep downstairs tonight. This won’t be the first time I’ve slept on these seats, so I don’t mind; besides, you look like you could do with some sleep. Morgana will keep you company.”

The cat nodded in response. The three trailed up the narrow steps to Akira’s attic room where he took out some pyjamas.

“These should be more comfortable than ripped clothes.” Akira smiled. M nodded, taking them but remaining still. He hadn’t before encountered a single soul from this group, or so he believed, yet they had already shown him endless kindness. It confused him, but it was all he had. This didn’t change the fact of how grateful he was though.

"I’ll leave you to get ready, goodnight, let me know if you need anything” Akira called, descending the stairs, leaving M to himself. He changed into some checkered pyjamas before Morgana joined him on Akira’s bed. The pyjamas were certainly a lot more comfortable but they hung off of M. It was very clear that his frame was much smaller than Akira’s, yet he remained grateful, his eyes heavy as soon as he laid down. Within seconds, he was out like a light, under Morgana’s watch. He knew he was safe. 

“Wake up inma- Wait. You’re not-” 

A voice gasped as M woke up, his surroundings different from that he fell asleep in. His foot felt weighted and a vibrant royal blue light filling whatever room he was now in. He sat up, greeted by the look of utter shock from two young girls in police-like uniforms. 

“Ah, you’ve awoken. Welcome to the Velvet Room, or rather, welcome back. It seems you are in a different position, however.” 

A distantly familiar voice directed M’s attention to an older man with an almost comically large nose. 

“My my, it seems you have forgotten! Well, you will remember in due time. It seems your journey is not over after all.”

All M could do was question each and every word as though it were the truth about himself. He knew he had seen this man before, but anything aside from that distant sense of familiarity was too hazy for his mind to grasp.

"Your fate is most unpredictable. From this moment onwards, it is now in your own hands but your rehabilitation from your previous state starts from here. What shall you do, the wildcard and now resident of the Velvet Room,

Minato Arisato.


	2. Someone Once Said Burn My Dread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Minato remembering more of his former self, he enjoys Morgana's company as the two share many similarities. He feels an odd sense of familiarity through these bonds that drive him to uncover more memories, even at the risk of losing everything once more.

“Minato A...a….to…”

Jolting suddenly, the blue haired teen sat up, eyes wide and every limb frozen as the dream he had just awoken from crossed his mind.

“Min…a...to… Ar...a...to... Min...ato…ar.... Minato…”

The details of the royal blue room began to dissolve in his mind as Minato became aware of his surroundings. He hadn’t noticed Morgana staring at him with deep concern.

“M! Can you hear me? Hello? Did you have a nightmare?”  
“You… Can talk…!?” 

The reality of the situation had only just set in as Minato felt as though he had just recovered a part of himself. It had been so long since he had been conscious that he was completely unaware of the events that had unfolded the day prior. 

“It’s all beginning to set in, hm? Once you hear me talk in the cognitive world, you can hear me here. We found you in the cognitive world, Mementos, yesterday, so that’s why you can understand me in the real world.” 

Morgana was surprised at Minato’s unfazed expression, by far the calmest reaction of anyone he had informed of Mementos and the Phantom Thieves methods.

“Cognitive world… I... see… So it was a different world?” Minato twisted his hair between his fingers in thought.

“You catch on fast. Something tells me you’re not fazed by much.”

Minato shook his head. “No… At least I don’t think so.”

There was a brief pause before Morgana continued,

“So, do you remember anything else?” 

“Minato… I think that’s my name, it feels right but… I don’t remember the rest.” 

“It’s been a day and things are beginning to come back to you! I wish I could say the same for me… It’s been months and all I remember is my name.”

“So we’re not so different…”

“I used to be a human but… I don’t remember anything apart from that. Akira and the others said they’d help me find my memories but, so far we haven’t had much luck. At least one of us is remembering things though” 

Morgana’s tone was wistful, longing even. Although he showed relief in Minato showing signs of his memory returning, he wished he could remember even just a fraction of his former self. 

“Then, if you’re helping me, it’s only fair I help you. Let’s uncover both of our memories, together.” 

“Do you really mean that!?” Morgana had only just made Minato’s acquaintance yet he had already made such a dedicated proposal; yet he understood. For the first time, Morgana felt properly understood and on the same page as someone. A feeling which, even after connecting with Akira and the others, he wasn’t quite familiar with. No matter how close he was, they were never entirely understanding of what it’s like to have no memories. Their pasts may be difficult but at least they have memories or bonds of events that made them the people they are now. Minato understood Morgana and it was relieving, more than anything. The cat took comfort in the fact that, for once, he was not alone. He stood eye to eye with someone who could fully sympathise with him, and for that, he wanted to help Minato, not just to repay the favour but because he knew exactly how it felt.

Minato nodded; he couldn’t help but sympathize with Morgana. The two had many similarities and with the kindness that he had been shown, how could he not at least offer? The teen too shared the pain of not knowing his former self, who he was or even where he came from. He was alone. If it weren’t for the thieves finding him, what would have become of him? Would he have made it out alive? Would he be wandering the tunnels of Mementos alone until he got attacked by shadows in his already weakened state? Minato couldn’t emphasise the relief that washed over him knowing comfortably that he had avoided all of this. Perhaps by chance, or more so, the workings of fate. Regardless, he didn’t question these inner workings as he was grateful. Grateful to have been treated with such warmth and familiarity and grateful that he was alive and in the real world. 

Even without knowing his past, Minato had a feeling that he had not set foot in the real world for a very long time. He felt slow, behind almost as if he was only just catching up. The comment Ryuji made on his MP3 player confirmed this feeling, even if he was not familiar with the purpose of the object. He pondered over this, taking it into his hand and gazing at it in a desperate attempt to rack his mind for some importance, yet to no avail. 

“Is that important to you?” Morgana asked, noticing the teen’s sudden shift in concentration to the device.

“I… don’t exactly know what it is…”

“So you don’t remember? It’s an MP3 player. It can play music if you plug headphones into it, but it’s quite old. Most people use their phones for music. I’ve seen Akira use his when studying.” 

“An MP3 player… Do you know how to turn it on?”

“I would but my cat paws don’t do well with buttons. There’s a button on the side, if you hold it down, it might turn on.” Morgana placed his paw over the button before Minato placed his finger over it, holding it down with a sharp click. The two awaited a response, unmoving, only for the device to remain off. There were no signs of it turning on, causing the two to sign in unison, very obviously having gotten their hopes up. 

“Maybe it uses batteries. I’ll ask Akira to get some tomorrow, he promised to get me some fatty tuna so I’m sure he can pick up anything you’ll need. You should go back to sleep, you looked exhausted earlier, we were sure you were a shadow by how pale you were!” Morgana laughed to himself, circling Minato’s lap before getting comfortable and settling down. Feeling the weight in his lap was oddly comforting to Minato, especially the warmth. Morgana was right; he felt very cold, almost like stone. Any warmth was comforting compared to that, especially Morgana who was now curled up into a ball against Minato’s stomach. He couldn’t help himself from petting Morgana to which the cat sat in front of him didn’t mind.

“I see, thank you. Goodnight, Morgana. I’ll see you tomorrow” Minato laid back, a content expression upon his face as he closed his eyes, the air filled with Morgana’s soft purrs, footsteps of pedestrians passing by and the indistinguishable voices from outside the café. It was calming. The steady flow of life continued outside of Minato’s consciousness, regardless of if he was sleeping or awake; the shifting of the gears of time remained constant as the lives of citizens progressed, unbeknownst to his existence. He simply existed amongst everything else as himself, something he knew for sure he hadn’t done in a long time. 

To put it simply, Minato was grateful to live freely again.

It didn’t take long before he had drifted to sleep to the sounds of the city life outside, embraced by the welcoming arms of a finite sleep. 

When he had woken up, daylight flooded the attic, accentuating the dust in the air. Akira’s room was far from a luxury, but the rusticity of it was oddly stylish. It certainly had its charm, and with a bit of decoration, it could definitely scrub up well. Minato made a mental note to assist Akira with the cleaning, it was the least he could do after all. He had noticed Morgana was no longer in his lap, an odd emptiness sunk in the teen; he couldn’t lie, he was looking forward to seeing Morgana in the same space as he fell asleep in. He sat in silence, revising a plan for the day before he decided to get up, going over as much as he knew.

“My name is Minato A. I was found in Mementos, the cognitive world by a group of six people. I’m staying with Akira and his talking cat in his attic bedroom. I have an MP3 player, but that is all I have that isn’t damaged.”

After pondering over his circumstance, he thought again.

“I need to find out where I am. I also need some new clothes. Something to eat too...”

The teen said aloud, tugging at the very oversized pyjamas he was wearing. The thought of putting on his own torn clothes was quickly rejected in his mind by the fact they were hardly salvageable. He’d have to ask Akira for some new ones. Minato rose from his place on the make-do mattress before descending the stairs, calling Akira’s name, peeking from behind the stair wall. Instead, he was greeted with the voice of an older man who he did not recognise. 

“Oh, you must be the person Akira told me about. We’re normally quiet around this time so you can come on down. Are you hungry?” 

Minato stood, confused. Yet again, another who expressed such kindness to him regardless of the fact they had just met. Recomposing himself to not seem rude, he approached the older male.

“...Yes…” 

“Here, Akira made this for you before he left. It was pretty short notice but he let me know about you earlier. It must be rough to lose your memory. I already have one freeloader here, so I don’t mind having another as long as you don’t make too much noise upstairs.” The older male chuckled to himself, handing the teen a plate of curry. “The name’s Sojiro, I take it that you don’t remember yours?”

“Actually, it came to me last night. I’m Minato” 

He smiled in return, beginning to feel more comfortable. Minato extended his hand to Sojiro who took it, shaking it, a polite gesture. 

“It’s nice to meet you”

Sojiro returned the favour, a content smile on his face. With Akira’s manners and friends, he had no complaints or issues. It was a complete surprise to Sojiro as to what Akira’s nature was like. Expecting a disrespectful Ryuji-type thug and receiving a charming, well behaved ideal student was not how Sojiro thought his year would play out but he certainly didn’t complain. With the disconnection he had to his own family, having Akira around made the café a lot less empty. Having an extra pair of hands was useful too, perhaps Minato would be similar. To entertain the thought pleased Sojiro, imagining the three of them running Le Blanc together. Minato’s question broke him out of his fantasy however.

“Excuse me, do you have any batteries?”

“Batteries? Don’t you young people use chargers for everything these days?” 

Minato didn’t think Sojiro’s response would weigh down on him as much as it did; just how much was his memory missing? Taking the MP3 player from his pocket, he set it on the table.

“It’s for this, I know it’s quite old…”

“An MP3 player? Hoo boy! I haven’t seen one of those in a long time! You’re into the old retro tech I see! Well, I can say the same for myself! I’m sure I’ll have some in the back” 

Sojiro was oddly pleased at the old device in Minato’s hands, but there was a sense of comfort in this. Shortly after, the barista returned with a pack of batteries. 

“Knock yourself out. Kid”

Minato promptly thanked him before leaving the bar stool. 

“You don’t plan on leaving the café in those, do you?” 

The teen stopped before realising he was referring to Akira’s pyjamas. He shook his head in response.

“My clothes are torn… This is all I have at the moment.”

“The kid has boxes of clothes, I’m sure he won’t mind if you found something that fits. If he does, tell him I allowed you, I’m sure he won’t mind though.” 

“Alright, thank you, Sojiro.” 

As he walked back up the stairs, something clicked in his mind - Minato was very sure he had just gained a dad. 

The day passed by until the afternoon began. Minato had found a suitable outfit, only a T shirt and some jeans, but it was much more comfortable than torn clothes. Making use of the time he had, the teen set out the MP3 player in front of him, changing the batteries as though it were clockwork. Although his mind didn’t remember the process of changing the battery, his hands certainly did. This intrigued Minato, he must have enjoyed music, making the device’s unscathed condition logical. Despite his curiosity, Minato decided to await Akira’s return before listening to what was on the music player.

“Someone can’t just wander into Mementos, he has to be a Persona user!” 

Ryuji pitched his idea, siding with Akira’s suggestions. The thieves had met upon the rooftop for an afternoon meeting concerning Minato’s capabilities. Given the circumstances, it was highly likely that Minato could wield a persona, but the risk of him not remembering was there; but it wouldn’t make much sense otherwise for the teen to be found in Mementos. 

“Minato was found somewhere inaccessible to anyone without efficient transport. I do believe he has amnesia but what if he doesn’t remember how to summon his Persona?” 

Makoto took a more logical approach, but it hit the nail on the head. There was only one way to know for certain, and that was for it to be tested in theory. 

“We don’t want him to end up hurt though.... Perhaps we can just ask? He seems okay with Morgana talking and all” Ann suggested.

“We’ll protect him. We all have our Personas, if anything bad happens, we can use Morgana to escape from battle if there’s no way we can defeat the enemies.” Akira suggested his final plan, the group unanimously agreeing. 

“He could be a great addition to the team, we can at least try!” 

“Then let’s give it our best shot” 

Minato paced Akira’s room as he awaited their return. He had pondered so much with such little memory and almost nothing to do that he was becoming impatient. When he heard footsteps from the stairs, he sighed with relief - he had been awaiting Akira all day.

“You’re awake, how have you found today?” Akira set himself on his bed, Morgana releasing himself from the prison that was Akira’s school bag. 

“I spoke with Sojiro-san, he was welcoming. I also fixed my MP3 player.” 

Minato set himself down at Akira’s desk before taking a breath.  
“I also have something I want to ask you.”

“Morgana, would you mind leaving for a moment?” Morgana nodded to Akira before making his way out of the window. He sat down in a more comfortable position, his legs crossed as he sat on his bed, the window now closed and his full attention on Minato.  
“What’s on your mind?” 

“Have you ever dreamt of a blue room?” 

Akira stopped, startled. Not one person he had ever told had believed him about the Velvet Room; this was almost too good to be true. 

“An old man with a big-”

“Long nose!” The two said in unison, Akira became increasingly more excited. 

“Yes! That’s Igor, from the Velvet Room!” 

“I had a feeling it was right to ask you about it.” Minato brushed his hair slightly from the view of his left eye. “Instead of saying ‘welcome’, he said ‘welcome back’. It felt oddly familiar but… Different.”

Akira only nodded. “Perhaps yours was slightly different to mine. I also wanted to ask you something.”

“Will you come with us to Mementos? I think you may be a Persona user.”

Minato looked up at him, an attentive expression, repeating the word Persona to himself. It felt so familiar to say that, almost as though the word had been said by him many times before that it fell naturally on his ears. He said it once more before nodding. He had made his decision in a heartbeat.

“That sounds familiar, I’ll go.”

The seven met up once more in Shibuya under a shelter near the station. It wasn’t long before they had entered Mementos, their Phantom Thief outfits returning. Minato was somewhat jealous, all he had was his t-shirt and jeans and they didn’t even belong to him.

“Let’s go back on track to where we were before” Morgana suggested, receiving a unanimous nod in return. 

The tunnel was so familiar, the train track shifting to a broken brick flooring and the walls becoming black as they progressed, driving straight into the mouth of a void. That’s when the seven left the Morgana bus. 

“We’ll continue by foot from here on out. Here, you can use this.” 

Akira handed Minato a pistol, fully loaded. It fitted in his hands a little too perfectly, as though the gun in his hand brought familiarity. What Minato had retrieved from his former clothing was a rack of kind, a holster that fitted snugly around his waist, a perfect space to hold the gun he had been gifted. Soon after, the group set off by foot further into the tunnel systems. 

Minato could only watch as they encountered shadows. Before he could attack, the thieves had stylishly reduced the shadows to black dust. A part of him longed to be part of it, to contribute and achieve victory, he felt it in his chest. He longed for his moment, only he wasn’t careful what he should wish for. Ryuji’s loud mouth was already a disadvantage as he was most likely to attract shadows. What appeared to be an innocent victory cheer became something much more dangerous

“Dude, did you see that!? I hit ‘em so hard, they didn’t see it coming!” 

“Stop! Do you hear that!?” 

Akira called, the group seizing all motion. The sound drew nearer from all directions; they were cornered.

“This is all your fault because someone couldn’t keep their loud mouth shut!”

“Quiet you two!” 

Makoto called, shushing the two immediately. They remained still before being ambushed, six strong shadows circling them. 

“This compensates for the lack of shadows!” Yusuke commented before being hit with fire, pushing him to the floor immediately. 

“Carmen! Let’s dance” Ann called, only for her attack to be blocked. 

“Johanna!” 

“Captain Kidd!” 

Personas were called from all directions but all attempts were feeble, attacks doing very little damage or being repelled or blocked. All Minato could do was watch as each of his new friends were engulfed by the darkness of the shadows, calling out for each other.

“Skull, get out of there! It’s too dangerous!”

Clutching the gun, Minato’s surroundings faded, the only images in his mind of a tower before him and a glowing green moon.

“I can’t let Joker do this on his own!” 

Voices called from all directions tearing Minato from his thoughts as all he could do was dodge and shoot blindly. His new bonds were disappearing and all he could do was watch. Was this his fault? He agreed to go along and if maybe he declined, they would have chosen a different route. He was about to lose everything again. He held the gun to his head and froze. His mind went quiet, his vision dark.

“It seems you have forgotten about me. Is this how you want your fate to end? Back to the beginning again, alone with a life devoid of bonds or meaning?” A voice called, deep from Minato’s soul. 

A burning sensation filled his body, as though pins struck his ever nerve. Sinking to his knees, all Minato could do was cry out in anguish, his face now covered by silver. 

“At your soul’s re-emergence, you’re going to let it dissolve with no resolve?” 

“N-No!” Every inch of Minato’s body cried out as though it flooded from inside his heart out, gripping the mask that had latched itself onto him.

“Then allow us to form a contract. Vow to me! I am thou, thou art I, thou hast reclaimed thy resolve and rebellious spirit against fate, willing to devote thyself to righteousness! Call upon thee, release thy strength inspired by the bonds thou hath acquired for I am...”

As Minato broke free, he cried; 

“ORPHEUS!” 

A ring of blue flames engulfed him, blood spilling from the silhouette of the former mask. A surge of energy coursed through him as relished in the familiar sensation, a determined smile upon his face. When he emerged from the flames, his attire had changed entirely, a grey waist coat in place of his t-shirt and a royal blue cravat swaying in the wind of the ring of flames. A long coat cloaked Minato, the tails tinged with a deep blue and shaped like coffins. His arm raised up, he called forth another name.

“THANATOS!” 

A different Persona ascended from the flames, surrounded by coffins and a face matching that of Minato’s mask. 

“MAEIGAON!”

The flames surrounding Minato swamped every enemy in sight, leaving the tunnels of Mementos glowing with a cyan light. It was blinding to all but Minato who stood amongst the flames, conducting them and every movement they made. As soon as the area was empty, only his teammates remaining, the deadly persona disappeared, returning to its previous form. With the relieving sight of his teammates safe and away from harm, Minato’s body became heavy; he was exhausted. His vision alternated between Akira running towards him and that of a specific pistol, amongst the floors of mementos. As if by instinct, his body began to run. 

“Wait!” Akira called, running after him. “I’ll follow, you stay here.” He directed before tailing Minato.

Although he was only a little behind Minato, Akira found it difficult to keep him in sight. When he finally caught up to the Persona user, he had found him slumped against the wall, clutching a gun much different from the one he had gifted him. The others soon followed. 

“This… Is… Important to… me…” Minato managed to muster before stumbling towards Akira. The rest rushed to him, supporting the blue haired teen before he fell.

“I’m glad you found it, but let’s get you out of here.” Ryuji called out to Minato before gesturing to Morgana. He looked at them meekly in response before looking back to Akira, his eyes growing heavy once more.

“You can rest now, we’ll keep you safe. Just like you did for us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far my favourite chapter that I've written so far! I love building the character interactions, especially with Morgana since I think him and Minato have a lot of potential together. Next chapter: Wildcard Duo!


	3. Moons Reaching Out Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the growing threat of MedJed to the Phantom Thieves, Minato is invited to join the team. A celebration is in order, and the thieves come very close to having a well-deserved break, however, fate is against them in many different ways. Minato is hindered by his lost memories even more so than he thought, but there is hope as the next mission of The Phantom Thieves is decided.

Chapter 3: Moons Reaching Out Stars

"Was that..!?" Caroline couldn't bring herself to say Minato's name at the events that had unfolded. 

The twins stood before Igor, pondering over the circumstances of their newest guest. Minato's existence itself was almost impossible. The twins were very aware of his sacrifice and the complications of if the seal were to be dissolved   
"It seems as though she was successful… However, I do have a part to play in this. His rehabilitation is partially my accountability. This could be interesting."

Chains echoed through the empty cells of the Velvet Room once more as Minato woke up from his prison bed, only the chains weren’t attached to him but the bed itself. Oddly enough, he found himself free from them. 

“Ah, it seems our guest has arrived. You've reawoken to your Persona, what more do you remember? Your journey awaits you as you play an important part in the rehabilitation of the wildcard. Your fate is in your hands now, where will it take you?"

Placing his hands against the bars and applying a little pressure, to Minato’s surprise, the door was unlocked.

“Take a seat” Igor invited, the twins on either side of him unable to look at Minato before them.

What in the world did she sacrifice to allow Minato to live again?

Obliging by Igor’s words, Minato sat down in front of the central desk. 

“It seems you have freed yourself from more than just chains. I’m impressed, you have reawoken to your Persona. Deep within your soul, I’m aware you already know this. You are invited to return here on your own accord, may my attendants guide you. I look forward to seeing you again” 

“You’re awake! How are you feeling?” Ann rushed towards the teen the second he sat up, groggily nodding in acknowledgment. Even without his memories, Minato knew how much he valued sleep.

“Dude, how come you and Akira get more than one Persona!?” Ryuji’s voice rang out from behind, idle chatter amongst the team that seemed all too familiar to Minato bringing a gentle smile to his lips. His soul had longed for this once more; the same but different.

‘I wonder what I left behind…’ 

“Hey, don’t crowd the poor guy, he just woke up.” Akira’s voice called out from behind the others until he was met face to face with the other wildcard.

“Considering you didn’t move much, you have a serious case of bed hair” He chuckled before placing himself at the end of Minato’s bed.

“You already knew how to use a Persona, you’re familiar with combat, you’re not new to this kind of thing, are you?” 

The other wildcard could only nod, attempting to fix his hair. “I remember… I had a team like yours…”

“We are The Phantom Thieves of Hearts,” Akira continued. “We steal the corrupted hearts of corrupt people to change them. With your experience and strength, you’d make a great addition to the team but it’s up to you whether you want to join us or not.”

“Steal corrupted hearts…” Minato’s eyes remained fixated on his hands, unbeknownst to the gazes of anticipation that fell on him.

“You don’t have to make a decision right now.” Makoto reassured, placing a hand on the blue wildcard’s, “What we do isn’t easy” 

Minato had already made his decision, the thieves had already done so much for him after all, how could he refuse?

Looking up to the others, Minato flashed a small but determined smile - “I’ll join you. What’s next?” 

A ring of cheers surrounded him, the thieves needed as much help as they could get, not to mention without Minato, their previous tip to Mementos could have ended very badly.

“Then you’ll need a codename!” Morgana listed the names before stopping at Minato who held a blank expression compared to that of the thieves’ as their names were called out. 

“What should we call you?” 

“Messiah! Your awakening occurred in a moment of strife, our savior!” Yusuke’s suggestion was immediately rejected by a flat “No” from Minato.

“Your outfit is similar to Akira’s, how about something like Joker?”

“The way the flames attacked those shadows was awesome! We should base it off of that!”

“Ryuji does have a point.” Yusuke agreed, his hand against his chin in thought. 

“How about Maestro? It was like you conducted the flames.” Akira nudged Minato who seemed to agree with the name. He was so caught up in the moment of his awakening, the memory of his attack was hazy, but it did the trick and it was stylish, just as a Phantom Thief should.

“Sounds good, I like it.” 

“Then Maestro, welcome to the team”

As the others explained about palaces and hearts, Minato attentively listened, his mind’s eye filling with possibilities of infiltrations, undoubtedly excited for the missions to come.

“Our current target is a group named MedJed, high profile hackers who want to expose our identities and eliminate us. Having you on the team is a huge advantage since as far as we know, there isn’t anything known about you. But… We have received communication from someone named ‘Alibaba’ who says they can take MedJed down if we make a deal with them. They want us to change someone’s heart.” Akira handed Minato his phone, the blue haired teen skimming over the messages before nodding.

“So who’s heart do we need to steal?”

“That… We don’t know yet.” At Makoto’s confirmation, the air weighed down on the group, reminded of the gravity of the situation. 

“But, you’re up to date. There’s not much we can do until we receive more information, so we can celebrate you joining the team!” Ann lightened the mood, a celebration was definitely in order. A break from work, school, and stealing hearts was definitely well deserved from the group, so what better opportunity than a celebration along with Minato’s addition to the team?

“Ah, a celebration!” Yusuke’s joy at the suggestion uplifted the others, the air becoming lighter almost instantly.

“We haven’t had a party in ages! Let’s do it tonight!”

The room was occupied with excitement and talk of arrangements, Minato tuning in and out of the conversations until Akira caught his attention. 

“If you’re going to stay here, you’re going to need more than just an MP3 player. The others will take care of everything else.” Akira’s tone was gentle and sincere. How lucky had Minato been to be found let alone by such a group?

“Me and Minato are going to go shopping, we’ll see you guys later.” The two received a unanimous nod before the wildcards set out, they’d likely see each other whilst shopping later regardless. The summer heat was refreshing for Minato, who almost always was cold. He immediately basked in the sunlight filtering through the alley buildings, sighing contently at the warmth.   
“When was the last time you were outside like this?” Akira stopped, realising it was a pointless question.  
“The last season I remember… Is Spring…”   
“Hey, let’s not dwell on it. We’re here to celebrate you joining the team; so I wanted to ask, do you have any questions?”

The various conversations of the public disguised the disclosure of the wildcards’ secrets, Minato asking his questions in confidence that they meant very little to anyone else who heard. Despite previously enjoying the heat, Minato was already disliking the humidity in the air, so the AC on the train was heaven. The teen hadn't been on a train before from what he could remember, an odd feeling of dizziness washing over him as he looked out the window.   
“Is it normal to feel dizzy on trains?” Leaning back against the headrest, Minato closed his eyes to dispel the feeling.  
“You must be getting motion sickness. First time on a train?”   
Minato nodded, Akira once again realising it was a silly question to ask as, of course, he didn’t remember.  
“I used to get travel sick but I ended up getting used to it. Here. Sucking on this helped me.” Akira produced a small packet of sweets from his bag, handing one to Minato.  
“Thank you” 

Once the two had settled on the train, Minato remembered what he was meaning to bring up.

“I woke up in the velvet room again, it wasn’t any different from last time.”

The mention of the velvet room always piqued Akira’s interest as there wasn’t anyone else he could discuss it with so openly. He guessed naturally, Minato would have many questions.

“Did you see anyone else?”

“Twins…”

“Caroline and Justine… So your attendant is the same as mine…” Akira’s face lit up at the mention of the twins. 

“They weren’t familiar though. For some reason, I remember there being only… One…”

“Perhaps you can ask them yourself.”

“How so? We can only enter through dreams…”

“Actually, there’s another way, I can show you. I actually needed to visit and update the compendium.”

“Really…? Igor did tell me to come here ‘on my own accord’... The compendium sounds familiar.” Minato racked his brain for where he could have heard it from, only to remember the blue hues of the velvet room and gain a headache.

“Hey, are you alright? You should really stop trying to force yourself to remember…” Akira placed his hand on the wildcard’s shoulder, snapping him out of his recollective trance. His tone held concern - he could tell it caused him great discomfort. Minato, in return, nodded. 

“It’s hard…”

“Something tells me you’re a pessimist even without your memories.” Akira’s light chuckle brought up the mood. 

The two continued to idly converse, Minato’s mind now far away from recalling the past and instead of enjoying the company of Akira in the moment. 

“Next stop: Shibuya Station”

The air of the heatwave hit the wildcards hard, the air even more claggy than Jongen-Jaya, both sighing at the change in the air.

“Here, I’ve had a lot of spare cash lately from Mementos and my part-time job. Those shadows you defeated dropped a lot too, it’s only fair that it belongs to you.”

“Thank you.” Akira’s kindness never ceased to amaze Minato.

“We should get going before the others get here, we don’t want to miss the party either. You’ll need some new clothes too, what’s your style?” 

“I don’t really care. Comfortable.” Minato didn’t hesitate on his reply, shrugging as the duo began to walk. 

Meandering their way around the clothing stores of Shibuya was the easiest part. The difficult part? Minato seemed reluctant to wear anything but the same three colours. 

“I think I get it, blue is definitely your colour.” Akira chuckled as the blue haired teen picked out what was probably the 86th blue top that day. Minato only looked at him with a very blank look, looking back at the shirt, then to the other wildcard.

“I don’t like red…”

“I can tell, you’re wearing the only not-red shirt I own” Akira found it quite humorous, but Minato didn’t quite understand. “If only Ann was here, she’s way better at fashion than I am. C’mon, we’re in Shibuya, accessories!” 

Akira’s encouragement was met with another blank look as Minato gravitated to a very out of fashioned belt.

“You really dress like you’re from 2009, don’t you…?” The leader became a little skeptical, his harmless joke soon became a lot more heavy considering Minato had no idea on recent trends and the only preserved possession of his being an MP3 player from 2009. But that would make Minato over 10 years behind - it didn’t make sense. Akira held onto the thought but decided to consider it later, Minato’s horrible fashion taste was the matter more important at hand.

“You really need Ann to catch you up on trends. Here, try this.” The thief led the other to a wall of accessories, belts, and more. “Take your pick”

Minato's eyes scanned the various forms of jewelry, his gaze set on some bracelets. He silently took them off of the shelf before trying them on and putting them in his basket.

“I didn’t think you’d be a bracelet kind of guy.”

“A bracelet kind of guy...? Then what are you?”

Akira retrieved something from his own basket, smirking. “Gloves, what else?”

“With your metaverse outfit, it makes sense.” The blue wildcard continued to browse the wall, taking a few more off of the shelf until he was satisfied. They made their way to the till making idle chat until a harmless idea came to Minato’s mind.

“I think I see Ann over there.” The teen looked near the entrance before looking back to the till, taking Akira’s basket in the process and combining the items with his own.

“I don’t think I see her”

“She’s near the entrance” Minato kept up the facade until he had fully paid, taking the bag of clothes and thanking the cashier.

“I guess it must have been someone else.” He shrugged, earning a sigh from Akira who knew for sure he must have looked like an idiot searching for someone that wasn’t there. Regardless, Minato’s plan was a success. The two had long left the store before Akira stopped, his expression turning to that of somewhat panic. 

“My basket! I didn’t pay-”

Minato took the gloves from his bag and raised them in front of the wildcard.

“I did.” His smug smile made it very obvious to Akira that he was proud of his achievement, but he’d expect nothing less from a Phantom Thief in the making.

“You got me,” the leader chuckled, raising his hands up in defeat before taking the gloves and tucking them into his pocket. “Oh! I suppose I should take you to the velvet room now we’re done shopping”

Minato looked up at the mention of it, nodding.

“I’ll tell you about the compendium on the way.”

As the afternoon progressed, the streets of Shibuya became increasingly more crowded, leaving the two no choice but to use the backstreets. Luckily, Akira was well versed in those routes, leading Minato to a Military shop through the narrow paths.   
“Are you sure this is the right way? I suppose it’s something for wildcards only…”

“Almost there. It should be around here somewhere…. Ah! Here!”

The duo stood before the frame of a glowing door, emitting the same velvet blue hue as the room it supposedly lead to.

“A door?”

“So you can see it too.”

“Do you think we can both enter?” Minato wasn’t exactly nervous; he was curious for sure, but he had not entered on his own accord previously. 

“It might be best if we go one at a time first. Besides, we don’t know what will happen or if it works.”

“I see…” Minato nodded, eyeing the door.

“If us wildcards are the same then you should be able to enter-”

“That is correct”

“Huh!?” Both wildcards jumped at the sudden interruption, an all too familiar velvet attendant sitting atop of the door.

“Apologies, did you not notice me? Perhaps both of you can enter, however, Master wishes to speak to you individually.”

“Justine! Just as I thought… Well, it might help you remember your attendant.” Akira turned back to Minato in an attempt to reassure him. 

“The attendant you may remember is our sister, Elizabeth. Please enter, we can tell you more if you would like to hear, but there is a limit to what we can tell you for this is your own rehabilitation from the whims of fate.”

“Alright…” Minato mumbled, nodding to the attendant before entering the door, his surroundings warping into the familiar hue before shifting into that of the Velvet Room.

“I see you have found yourself on your own accord. Well done. You may access these doors as you please. You may also access the Persona Compendium, a catalog of Personas for you to choose from and summon at a price.”

“Can I take a look now?” Minato freed himself from the cell, walking towards the long-nosed-male before Caroline presented him with the book. The second he lay his eyes on the cover, Minato clutched his head.

“...Would you like to update the Persona Compendium? Or perhaps you would like to go on a ‘date’...?” 

The visions of the blonde woman ceased, Minato's eyes opening widely, his head spinning - One singular thought came to mind.

“Elizabeth!” 

“Yes… That was your attendant and our sister…” Caroline explained, her tone somewhat bitter. 

“Once you disappeared, she…” Justine failed to finish her sentence as the twins bowed their heads.

“Now, now, it is not the wildcard’s fault. It was her own decision. We must all fulfill our duties, Caroline, Justine.” 

The twins nodded before continuing their former motions.

“All Personas you have used are stored in this book. You may choose who you want to summon.” 

Minato began to flick through the pages, many having incomplete entries and images to accompany them.

“It seems that these are just as fractionated as your soul and memories. As you recover more Personas, your memory may return. Or vice versa, it’s up to fate to tell. May you continue with your rehabilitation. Good luck.”

The room began to fade before Minato could say a word, the velvet blue shifting to the murky grey of the alleyway. It wasn’t long before he was met with Akira’s concerned expression.

“Hey, Minato, can you hear me?” Akira waved his hands in front of the blue wildcard’s eyes but to no avail. A few seconds passed before Minato blinked, rejoining the world around him.

“Is that really what I look like when I enter the Velvet Room? No wonder everyone looks at me like that…” Akira’s words fell on deaf ears. “Earth to Minato?” 

“Hm..?” The dazed expression on Minato’s face faded, his returning to attention on Akira. 

“Did you find out anything?” Akira leaned against the alley wall, curious. To his excitement, Minato nodded.

“My Compendium… A lot is missing. If I refill it, my memories might come back… Or vice versa.” The teen recalled Igor’s words, his posture returning as he adjusted back to the real world.

“The Palace we infiltrate next will help. We’re one step closer to taking down MedJed and recovering your memories.” 

“I hope so…”

The preparations for the welcome party were almost complete, the Thieves’ excitement evident through the frequent pinging of IM. Whilst Akira opted to inform the others on the events of the day, Minato took the opportunity to fall asleep on the train ride back. The evening streets of Yogen-Jaya were significantly less busy than Shibuya, providing a pleasant walk for the duo to enjoy before reaching LeBlanc.

“You’re back. Someone left a letter for you.” Sojiro greeted Akira as he entered the cafe, an envelope with his name written on it placed at the edge of the counter. Taking it into consideration, the leader picked it up before joining the others upstairs. For now, the group wanted to celebrate.

“Surprise!” 

Confetti fell from the party poppers the group had prepared, falling into Minato’s hair once he had reached the top of the stairs. It truly was a party, plates of food and sides laid out on a table in the center of the room with everyone in their seats awaiting the duo’s return.

“You’re late! We were getting tired of waiting y’know!” Ryuji complained, yet laughter rang in his tone.

“That’s because someone decided to fall asleep on the train and almost missed their stop.” Akira chuckled, gesturing to Minato who had already started eyeing the display of food before him. He couldn’t lie, it was all so much but he was hungry. He joined the others, Ann quizzing him on his outfits immediately.

“To the new addition to the Phantom Thieves! Minato Arisato! Cheers!” 

Laughter echoed late through the night in LeBlanc as the group celebrated, the letter Akira had received entirely slipping his mind. It wasn’t until an overwhelming ring of phones replaced the music and chatter of the thieves’ celebration. The second it ceased, the room fell silent; the strange icon of Alibaba appearing on Akira’s phone.

Alibaba: Don’t celebrate too early

Alibaba: You still have a heart to steal

Alibaba: Don’t forget the letter

Before any questions could be asked, the strange messenger disappeared as soon as they appeared. 

“The letter…!”   
From Akira’s bedside table, he took the envelope, placing it on the center of the middle table.

“Why didn’t you tell us about this sooner!?” Makoto inspected it thoroughly before shooting Akira with a glance, anything but happy at his decision to prioritize the celebration over the potential hint at the mysterious Alibaba.

“It doesn’t have a return address… Is it a calling card?”

“It’s from Alibaba. Perhaps it’s about the heart they want us to steal.” Minato spoke up before inspecting the letter himself. “An address,” he stated before placing it in the middle for the thieves to see.

“Maybe it’s a trap…” Ann suggested, taking the card into her hands.

“But Alibaba is an ally… Supposedly” Morgana confirmed.

“We’ll have to plan our next step carefully. It looks like there’s a mission for us.” Akira’s voice rose up from the rest, determination held in every word. The leader always had a way of easing the situation, acting as a guiding light for the thieves in times of trouble. At the core of the team was the Akira, holding everyone together and always motivating them to pursue their goal.

“Akira is right! What if this is the next clue to our next palace?” The others unanimously agreed.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we’ll investigate. What do you think, Minato? Ready for your first mission as part of the Phantom Thieves?”

The group turned to Minato with anticipation, although from his expression alone, the answer was already clear in their minds. Determination shone through the thief’s eyes. This feeling, it wasn’t new to him. It was excitement - Something that wasn’t boring. Rising from his seat, he turned to the others, flashing a smile exactly that of their leader’s.

“Let’s do this!”

Unbeknownst to him, Minato wasn’t the only one to awaken. In a distant city from Tokyo rose another mission.

“Initiating searching sequence.”

“Aigis, it’s been over ten years, it’s impossible, he can’t be back! He sacrificed his soul for us… He’s…” 

“Takeba, this is not an error or miscalculation. I’m… Unsure what it could be but... I trust in Aigis’ abilities.”  
“Mitsuru-Senpai… You don’t think-”

“I can’t be certain, but for Aigis to suddenly detect him, there might be a chance. We have to investigate.”

“Understood…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm ever so sorry that this chapter took so long to get out! I've been working mainly on characterization and interactions and improving that as I really want to convey the different relationships between the characters. I apologize for such a large gap between this chapter and the last. Just when I started writing this chapter, someone important to me passed away, leading me to be very unmotivated for a while. I'm happy I've been able to work on this again, however, so please stay tuned for more in 2021! Happy New Year!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @IntoTheFrisson for inspiring me to write this! Please check out her fic "Oh Alice".
> 
> Want to see hear ideas, headcanons, and more Persona related content? Follow me on Twitter! 
> 
> https://twitter.com/yumenhaze


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